New booze delivery service with local mindset rolls into Austin

New booze delivery service with local mindset rolls into Austin

Enjoy the "comfort of your couch" while browsing for booze.
Photo courtesy of Buttery

Browsing for booze has never been easier. Austin already boasts such delivery services as GoBooze, Sourced, and Minibar, and another new app launched just last week.

Buttery is the newest alcohol delivery service to enter the market. The Boston-based service is an "an online marketplace that connects local liquor stores ​and customers," CEO Gaurav Mehta​ tells CultureMap in a statement.

For the customer, the process is simple: check out the current inventory at your liquor store of choice, make a selection, and your purchase will be reserved for pick-up or delivered within an hour.

"The shopping experience on Buttery is just as if you were standing inside your local liquor store, but now you are doing it from the comfort of your couch," Mehta​ says.

There are no markups on the price — just a flat delivery fee of $5 per order. But the real distinction between Buttery and similar apps is the benefit for the local stores.

"We recognized that liquor retailers in the United States are facing tough competition with big box stores and are struggling to gain an online presence. Smaller local liquor stores do not have a solution to get their products available online, nor a big marketing budget," Mehta​ says. "For liquors stores, the Buttery platform is the fastest way to enable online and mobile e-commerce, start reaching new customers, and increase sales."

Locally, Buttery is partnered with Oak Liquor Cabinet, Far West Liquors, and Travis Heights Beverage World. Mehta hopes to bring more stores into the fold in the coming weeks.

Buttery first hit the Boston scene in 2015, then spread to Los Angeles. For the team, Austin was a natural fit for its third city.

"Austin has the perfect customer demographic for Buttery because people here love local, craft, and unique beers, wines, and spirits, and are open to discovering and trying new drinks," Mehta​ says. "Austin also has ton of independent liquor retailers who carry large variety of alcohol beverages and take the effort in curating products beyond the usual mass-market appeal."

Buttery continues its focus on local, craft product by highlight trending breweries and distilleries through special categories. The app also offers Buttery Concierge; customers can chat with "drink experts" on a variety of topics, from food pairings to large orders.

Buttery is now available for download on Android and Apple devices. The delivery zone is bordered by Anderson Mill and Jollyville to the north, West Lake Hills to the west, Bluff Springs to the south, and near Highway 183 to the east.